Oil well drilling installation



April 13, 1954 c. PARSONS oIL wELL DRILLING INSTALLATION IN VEN TOR.

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Patented Apr. 13,r 1954 OIL WELL DRILLING INSTAIlLAllION` Critchell Parsons, Silver Spring, Md., assigner to The Engineering Development Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Texas Application November 22, 1949, Serial No. 128,851

The invention relates tooil well drilling installations, and more particularly to such installations using a hydraulic turbine operated by the drilling mud.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an oil well drilling installation which is easy to use and at the same time eilicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an installation which is operated entirely by hydraulic power.

A further object of the invention is to provide an installation in which a single pump serves both to drive the turbine and to raise the drill string.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such an installation in which the drill string can be lowered as drilling progresses without interfering with the driving of the turbine by the pump.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an installation in which the mud is screened to remove large particles of rock or dirt before it is passed either to the hydraulic lifting means or to the turbine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement by which rocks and grit accumulated in the screen may be fiushed out of the line at intervals without removing the screen.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an installation which is of simple and sturdy construction, and which requires no special skill in its operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of an oil wel] drilling installation embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 shows in side elevation, with parts in section, the hydraulic lifting mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows a well 2 within which a drill string 4 carries a turbine 6 driving a bit 8. Whilel the specific turbine structure forms no part ofj the present invention, I prefer to use a turbine of the type disclosed in the application of George P.

Wagner, Serial No. 729,613, iiled February 19.

At the top of the drill string 2 is a suitable conneotion composed of a threaded spindle portion I adapted to screw into the top of the drill string 2, and a swivel l2 threadedly connected to spindle 3 Claims. (Cl. Z55-4) Ill. A pipe line i4 connects swivel I2 to the outlet of pump I6, the `intake side of which is `connected by pipe I8 to mud pit 20. In line I4 is a screen 22, and on the downstream side of the screen, or between the screen and the swivel I2, is a three-way valve 24. From valve 24 a line 26 runs to hydraulic cylinders 28. A return line from cylinders 28 to mud pit. 201 contains a valve 32. The return line 34 from the well to the mud pit has a connection 36 with a valve 38 to a point in line I4 upstream of the screen 22, or to a point between the screen and the pump.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the hydraulic lifting mechanism, which may be generally similar to that described in the patent to J. E. Smith, No. 2,317,306. Hydraulic cylinders 28 enclose pistons 40 at the bottom of hollow piston rods 42. The top portions 44 of the cylinders are slotted, and in the slots are guided ribs 46. Shells 48 slidably guided on the outside of cylinders 28 are connected to ribs 46 and extend downwardly therefrom. To the lower ends of sleeves 481 are welded upward extensions 50 of a block 52.

Block 52 contains a chuck arrangement 54 for gripping spindle I0 and holding it against turning. Block 52 also has laterally extending brackets 56 slidably engaging vertically extending guide rods 58.

The arrangement operates as follows:

At the beginning of a drilling operation, hydraulic cylinders 28 are full of fluid, so that block 52 is in raised position. Valve 24 is now turned to admit fluid to swivel l2 and thus to turbine 5, driving the turbine and the bit 8. As drilling proceeds, the drill stem can be gradually lowered by opening Valve 32 to the extent desired, thus allowing the fluid from cylinders 28 to return to the mud pit.

When a new length of pipe is to be applied, spindle I 0 is released from the drill. stem and block 52 is raised by shifting valve 24 to admit fluid to cylinders 28, valve 32 being of course closed. The new length of pipe is inserted, and valve 24 turned to connect the pump again to the drill stem.

If screen 22 becomes badly clogged., cylinders 28 can be partially filled and then, by opening valve 38, allowed to discharge through valve 24 and washout line 36. This causes a reverse flow through the screen, and will wash all grit back of the screen into the mud pit.

In certain types of drilling, it may be desirable to rotate the drill string slowly at times in order to prevent it from sticking in the hole. In such a case, the chuck 54 may be mounted and driven in the manner shown in the Smith patent referred to above, or a chuck so mounte'd may be braked against the turbine torque while allowing some slippage.

While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except Within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

l. An oil well drilling installation comprising a drilling rig, a drill string, a turbine at the lower end of the drill string, a bit driven by said turbine, said rig including means to grip the'drill string and hold the same against; rotation, hydraulic means on said rig for raising and lowering the drill string, a mud pump, any outlet line from said pump, a screen in said line, connections from points in said line on the other side of the screen from the pump to said hydraulic means and to said drill string, valve means in said line for selectively directing mud under pressure to said two connections, a third connection to said line between the pump and the screen, and a valve in such third connection.

2. In an installation a5 claimed in claim 1, a mud pit, return lines from said hydraulic means and from the Well to said mud pit, and a valve in the return line from the hydraulic means.

3. In an installation as claimed in claim 2, said third connection being to one of said return lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Y 

